Are Your Streaming Services Getting Enough Fiber?

In today’s high-tech world, where we work and play hard, we want fast internet that can keep up with us. For all those work calls, Netflix binges, and Fortnite battles, you need reliable internet that can keep pace—without buffering or compromising on quality. The growing data demands of high-definition video can sometimes make it feel like you’re running in place, especially in households with multiple users who all want to stream on their own screens.

So, how do you keep multiple users happy without it becoming a free-for-all? Get fiber internet that’s super-fast and incredibly reliable.

Get more robust speeds

One way to set yourself up for consistent high-speed data transfer capabilities across your entire house is by upgrading your connection. If you haven’t renewed or updated your internet service contract in a few years, it’s worth another look. Whether you’re on cable internet or fiber, there may be an opportunity to increase your maximum download and upload speeds.

What is a good internet speed for streaming?

Streaming and 4K video conferencing each require a bandwidth of about 25 Mbps (megabits per second) to perform well. But suppose you’re giving a remote work presentation to the company bigwigs, and others in your household are vying for bandwidth to stream, game, and video chat. In that case, you’ll probably want to boost your bandwidth, so you don’t get cut off mid-presentation.  

How fast is fiber internet?

It’s fast. Seriously fast. Fiber-optic technology can send data at around 70 percent of the speed of light. As a result, fiber internet speed is much more robust than any other service. So, what can fiber-optic internet do that other services can’t?

Fiber internet download speeds often go up to 1,000 Mbps—but some locations offer much higher multi-gigabit speeds. Fiber is also extremely reliable—with Quantum Fiber, you’ll get 99.9% reliability (based on network uptime or availability), so you can rest assured you stay connected.

What if I can’t get more powerful speeds?

Suppose you can’t improve your internet connection. You may only have one type of provider in your area, or your budget may be a factor. Fortunately, there are other solutions to enhance your streaming services.

Find out your true speeds

When you buy an internet service plan, you pay for a specific maximum speed, like 25 Mbps or 50 Mbps. However, depending on the service agreement, you may not actually get those speeds or get them all the time. During peak usage hours, for example, your speeds may drop because other users in your neighborhood are straining the system.

Many “internet speed test” websites can tell you what your real speeds are on a day-to-day basis to give you a better idea of what you’re actually working with.

Set a streaming schedule

The total bandwidth offered by your internet plan gets divided among all the devices using it at the same time. That includes smartphones, tablets, game consoles, and smart home devices. Anything connected to your internet service by WiFi or an Ethernet connection is eating up a slice of your internet bandwidth.

That means 50 Mbps may be enough for a household of one or two people but probably won’t cut it for larger families or even heavy internet users like gamers. If you find your current speed isn’t getting the job done and you can’t upgrade your service, try scheduling times for different activities.

Suppose you’re a family of four with two kids. You might set a specific time for the kids to do homework that requires streaming videos or teleconferencing with classmates. During that time, you and your partner could refrain from bandwidth-intensive activities. In turn, the kids won’t stream during periods when you have video meetings.

Take advantage of off-peak hours

Another bandwidth trick is to take advantage of times when there’s less demand. Some systems slow down when there’s too much traffic, and certain providers intentionally throttle speeds to high-consumption activities like video streaming when demand is especially high. In that case, you can boost your speeds by streaming at off-peak hours.

Do you need to upload a big project for work? Schedule the upload during early morning hours (like 4 a.m.) when fewer users are competing for bandwidth and providers are done with overnight maintenance.

What fiber speed do I need for the best streaming experience?

Think the Man of Steel is fast? Quantum Fiber is a superpower your home would love! With fiber-optic internet speeds up to 1, up to 3, and even up to 8 Gbps, you’ll have enough juice to satisfy even the most power-hungry users. Quantum Fiber lets you connect and stream from multiple devices in your house at once. Got a household member streaming Netflix all day and another going gangbusters in a game of battle royale—all while you’re uploading files for an important video call? Thanks to our 99.9% reliability based on network uptime or availability, everyone can put their superpowers to work at the same time without losing momentum. Quantum Fiber gives you the boost you need—get it today!